5 Ways to Increase Your Flexibility as a Senior Citizen

As we grow older, the flexibility in our joints and muscles becomes increasingly limited. Our ligaments and connective tissues need to be stretched out so that our blood can pump efficiently throughout bodies and increase our cardiovascular health. Stretching has evolved in many ways over the last couple decades. These top techniques will relieve muscle pain and soreness while also allowing you to increase your flexibility.

1. Dynamic Stretching

This stretching is more of an approach than just one type of stretch, but it is important to remember. Most of us are used to the standard static stretch of holding our leg or reaching for our toes to feel our hamstring stretch out. Dynamic stretching takes things to a new level by getting your blood pumping so you can actually go that extra distance. So torso swings and butterflies are a great way to loosen up!

2. Ankle and Wrist Circles

Although our ankles and wrists do so much work for us, we tend to forget to include them in our exercise and stretch regimen. These ankle and wrist exercises are sure simple to do. Slowly turn your ankle in a clockwise then counterclockwise fashion. Likewise for your wrist. Go slow on the areas you feel extra tightness and be sure to breathe into, so you can work on the tightness.

3. Cat-Cow

This an absolute yoga staple and crowd favorite that allows you to increase your flexibility. You may look a little bit silly while doing it but will feel incredible afterward. The whole concept of the cat-cow is that you inhale upward and arch your back like a cat, then exhale and push your spine down and posterior out similar to a cow. Go slowly and breathe deeply in between these motions and you’ll be feeling great.

4. Hamstrings and Lower Back

Your hamstrings, quadriceps, hips, and lower back are all muscles that connect. So tightness in one is going to lead to pain and discomfort in another. What you need to do is lie on the floor and grab one of your legs pulling it gently in towards your head. If you want to increase your flexibility, you can even take one arm and twist your leg to the opposite side to get a deep oblique stretch as well.

5. Assisted Stretching

If you want to relieve muscle pain and soreness, then you are going to need a little outside help. Just like most things in life, you can’t do everything alone. This is why you need a trained assisted stretching professional. They can help increase your flexibility in ways that you can’t even imagine by focusing on your trouble areas and working them out. Senior citizen flexibility is extremely important, but so is making sure you are doing these stretches safely.